Our resident Open Letter writer, Alice Moran, is also an actor and comedian—and right now, she’s touring North America with SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody. The hilarious musical parody plays Toronto’s Panasonic Theatre April 5 – 7, so we caught up with her to get some of the raunchy details. Want to win tickets to the show? Find out how here!

SDTC: How did you get involved with this production?
Alice: Julianne Snepts, who hired me to work at the Second City a few years back, recommended me to the director Jim Millan. I biked out to Roncesvalles on the hottest day of the year to meet him, and showed up drenched in sweat and panting.  This is probably the only show where that look would book me the role. 

SDTC: What made you want to be part of it?
Alice: The writing team. Jim, Colin Munch, Jon Blair, Ian MacIntyre—those are some of my favourite comedians in the city. Knowing they were all attached to the project made it a done deal.

SDTC: What can viewers expect from the show?
Alice: Pat, our Chrisitan Grey, has been at the gym every day. He’s sitting next to me right now, talking about working on his “lats.” I watched him read a men’s fitness magazine for an entire flight last week. This guy takes his clothes off in the show—so audiences can expect that! I also talk to the audience, which is my favourite part. Asking a different audience member about fisting every night has been a hilarious—and weirdly educational—experience.

SDTC: Is it better to see the show if you’ve read the books or haven’t read the books?
Alice: There are lots of inside jokes, so if you’ve read the books you’ll get a bit extra. But if you haven’t read the books, this show would pretty much catch you up.

SDTC: Describe what your character is like.
I’ve been describing Tasha as a 10-year-old boy in the body of a 22-year-old. I think that about sums her up.

SDTC: Can you tell me a bit about the who’s behind the show?
Alice: Suzanne Sole, who plays the narrator in the other cast, describes the show as S&M meets SNL, and I think that’s a perfect description. The show has flavour from everyone who created it. Jim directed The Kids In the Hall, Jon Blair is the head writer for the Sketchersons, and Pat does burlesque with Boylesque T.O.—all of that stuff pulled together to make a show I love to perform in every night.

SDTC: How has the tour been so far?
Alice: I work with the most amazing people. I am beyond lucky to work with people who not only support me, but are willing to drunkenly dance to “Home for a Rest” with me to make me feel at home on St. Patrick’s Day.

SDTC: Are you excited to perform for a home audience?
Alice: It’s every young girl’s dream to describe fisting in front of her parents.